(19)
(11) EP 2 206 633 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
25.01.2012 Bulletin 2012/04

(43) Date of publication A2:
14.07.2010 Bulletin 2010/28

(21) Application number: 09157275.0

(22) Date of filing: 03.04.2009
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B60T 1/06(2006.01)
 F16D 65/14(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

(30) Priority: 09.01.2009 US 319620

(71) Applicant: Ausco Products, Inc.
Benton Harbor, MI 49022-8787 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Chandler, Edward L
    Michigan, 49085 (US)
  • Dennis, Brian P
    Michigan, 49009 (US)

(74) Representative: Jennings, Michael John et al
A.A. Thornton & Co. 235 High Holborn
London, WC1V 7LE
London, WC1V 7LE (GB)

   


(54) Two-stage slave cylinder


(57) A two-stage slave cylinder (10) including a housing and a bore (14) extending within the housing. An outer piston (20) is slidably positioned within the bore in the housing, and an outer piston chamber is defined by the bore and the outer piston. The outer piston chamber is connected to a hydraulic fluid source by a fluid passageway (24). A biasing mechanism (40) acts to bias the outer piston in an unactuated position unless a force is exerted on the outer piston that is greater than the biasing force. A bore (26) is provided in the outer piston, and an inner piston is slidably positioned therein. An inner piston (42) chamber is defined by the bore and the inner piston, and an opening (34) is provided in the outer piston to connect the outer piston chamber to the inner piston chamber. A valve assembly (56) is provided within the opening in the outer piston to control the flow of fluid between the outer piston chamber and the inner piston chamber.







Search report